Extensible conveyer system



April 7, 1953 R. u. JACKSON EXTENSIBLE CONVEYER SYSTEM 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed NOV. 17, 1950 m 5 Rc Y m M m R V U 0 m N April 7, 1953 R. u. JACKSON 2,633,974

EXTENSIBLE CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Nov. 17, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR REUBEN U. JA-C KSON Patented Apr. 7, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EXTENSIBLE CONVEYER. SYSTEM Reuben U. Jackson, Clifton, N. J., assignor to Hewitt-Robins Incorporated, Bufialo, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 17, 1950, Serial No. 196,120

1 Claim.

In the mining of coal or the like, where the actual digging is performed by machine, difliculty has been experienced in removing the excavated material from the working zone at a rate commensurate with that at which the machine is capable of digging it.

The present invention meets this difliculty. by providing a conveyor which can be arranged to receive the mining machine output directly and continuously,that is, without intervening shuttle cars, and which can be trailed behind the machine as it advances. In the preferred form of the invention, two conveyors are utilized providing a system which, under appropriate conditions, can be operated without interruption throughout a substantial part of or preferably a full shift operation of the mining machine.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view or horizontal section of a portion of a mine incorporating a preferred form of the conveyor system of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a broken-out view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing, schematically, a mining machine with its trailer conveyor according to the invention;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of the central portion of the showing of Fig. 2, with a diagrammatic showing of the drive and fixed or stationary tripper for the trailer conveyor;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of one form of chassis for the trailer conveyor; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section through the trailer conveyor showing an alternative arrangement for mounting the chassis units in i alignment.

In the conventional mine layout illustrated in Fig. 1, the main entry is made up of avenues I, 2, 3, 4, 5 which can be assumed to have been penetrated downwardly as viewed in the drawing. That is to say, the exit from the mine or entry is in the direction of the arrow 6, the roof of the entry being supported by the unexcavated rectangular columns, several of which are marked I. From these avenues the mine is extended laterally, as at 8, 9, H), ll, 12, I3, l4, l5.

In one or more of the avenues |-5, there is located some form of main conveying system, here indicated as consisting of an endless belt conveyor I6; and according to the present inven tion this system, or conveyor in this instance, is supplied by What is, in effect, an extendible conveyor l1 arranged at an angle to it.

The extendible conveyor comprises a mobile chassis consisting of an extended frame struc- 2 ture or series of suitably coupled units, carrying idlers to support an endless conveyor belt. In the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 diagrams, these units are indicated as consisting of trucks l8 having supporting wheels [9 to run on rails 20, the train of coupled trucks or units being connected directly to the rear of the mining machine 2| or traversed by an independent power unit. The chassis units carry conventionally mounted idlers 22 to support the upper orload carrying run of belt 23, as well as suitable return idlers (not shown). In the form illustrated, the mining machine is equipped with a short conveyor 24 which receives the excavated material and deposits it onto the head end of the belt 23, as indicated in Fig. 2.

Adjacent the main conveyor system, or belt I 6 in this instance, there is mounted a tripper 25 incorporating pulleys over which the belt 23 is trained, pulley 26 serving to raise the belt into position to discharge its load onto the belt l6. Belt 23 can be arranged to be driven by motor 21 through a reduction transmission 28, both located at or forming part of the tripper unit.

The tripper straddles the extendible conveyor and is arranged to be held stationary. Ordinarily its own weight will serve that purpose but, if necessary, the tripper can be positively held against movement, as by conventional roof jacks.

In the operation of the system, as for example when the mining machine 2| is working in the passage 9, the extendible conveyor l1, passing under conveyor IE, will be assembled to an appropriate length so as to project a considerable distance to the left of it, as viewed in Fig. 1. In this instance, it is shown as extending back to avenue I. Then, as the machine digs, the excavated material is discharged from conveyor 24 onto belt 23 and thence, by way of the tripper, onto main conveyor I 6. As the mining machine advances, the tripper being stationary, the chassis of the extendible conveyor is drawn along with the machine either by the mining machine or by its own power unit and the belt 23 maintained in position to receive the excavated material and discharge it onto the main conveyor. It will be understood that if, as here illustrated, the chassis of the extendible conveyor is tracksupported, additional track sections can be laid, as necessary, without interrupting the operation. It will be understood that the belt of the extendible conveyor will be spliced at one or more places by any of the well known types of belt lacing so that, when the tail or left-hand end of the extendible conveyor approaches the upper or main conveyor IE, or at the end of a shift, as may be convenient, the belt 23 can be disconnected, additional chassis units coupled onto the tail of the extendible conveyor and additional belt added to suit the new length of chassis.

In the Fig. 1 diagram, two other mining machines 29, 30 are indicated in position to extend avenues 2 and 3, respectively; and hitched to the rear of these machines, or placed in position to receive material from, are extendible conveyors 3|, 32 arranged and operating just like the extendible conveyor already described. In this instance, stationary trippers for the conveyors 3|, 32 are located at the points 33, 34 to discharge onto a cross conveyor 35 which, in turn, discharges onto the main conveyor [6.

While the chassis units can be arranged for ready coupling and uncoupling in any preferred manner, it is convenient in some instances to articulate them so that, with the belt removed, the assembled train of units can accommodate itself to a curved track. This is illustrated in Fig. 4 where the units. 36 are indicated diagrammatically as having centrally located pin couplings 31 at their ends.

The unit illustrated in Fig. 5 differs only in that ground wheels 38 are indicated, instead of track Wheels #9 and if the chassis unit couplings are not designed to maintain the units adequately aligned, the function of the track may be performed by rollers 39 which serve as guides for the side angles 40 of the chassis units. The rollers may be carried by roof jacks 4!.

While the foregoing arrangements serve to illustrate the principles of the invention, it will be understood that various changes can be made to suit the needs of particular installations.

The following is claimed:

An extendible shuttle conveyor comprising a train of mobile chassis units, each unit carrying upper and lower belt idlers and being detachably coupled to an adjacent unit to form a continuous conveyor belt support; an endless belt mounted on said idlers; a stationary tripper unit ground supported independently of the chassis units, including tripper pulleys over which the upper run of the belt is trained; a second conveyor belt mounted above and at an angle to the said endless belt; one of said tripper pulleys elevating the upper run of the said endless belt into discharging position in relation to the upper run of the said second conveyor belt; and guide rollers mounted on vertical axes adjacent the sides of the chassis units for maintaining the chassis units in substantial alignment.

REUBEN U. JACKSON.

. REFERENCES CITED The following-references are of record in the file of this patenti-I" UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,585,694 Schoew May 25, 1926 1,785,594 Paisley Dec. 16, 1930 1,920,500 Garcia Aug. 1, 1933 2,525,555 Manierre Oct. 10, 1950 2,543,368 Jones Feb. 2'7, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 151,639 Germany May 19, 1904 538,364 Germany Nov. 12, 1931 628,363 Great Britain Aug. 26, 1949 

